Barrett's Grill — Restaurant in Maryland

It was the Saturday following Thanksgiving, so I did not expect to see John Linderman, the General Manager, there. To my surprise, he was there at my arrival and greeted my friend Kathy and me warmly.

We sat at one of my two favorite seats in the restaurant. Kristen came to the table immediately and introduced herself. She asked us if we wanted any beverages, wine, or something from the bar, then described in detail the daily specials. She was friendly, professional, and spirited. We ordered water, knew what we were ordering because Kathy reviewed the menu online. However, I described specific menu selections to her while she perused the online menu and made up her mind the night before. It was a toss-up for me, but I had something in mind, too.

John typically orders all my meals, bottles of wine, and desserts when I come to the restaurant because he wants me to try different selections. He's never wrong with his choices. They're right on target. Yesterday, he suggested the Chilean Sea Bass that sat on top of a bed of sautéed spinach and topped with tomatoes. He knows that I am a Pescatarian and will accommodate me with fish or seafood. Although, I have been known to step out of my comfort zone and eat meat on occasion.

We both ordered the CRAB & ROASTED CORN SOUP as an appetizer. The soup has won many awards throughout Maryland in multiple contests. The flavors are complex; a sweetness surfaces from the roasted corn which is undetectable because there are no kernels and the succulence from the lump crabmeat with a hint of paprika adds to the velvety, creamy texture to give it a smooth, flavorful, satisfying spoonful of pure heaven with every bite.

For entrees, we both ordered the FRENCH DIP (sliced prime rib | gruyere | mayo | au jus horseradish sauce | baguette). Kathy told me that the French Dip is her favorite sandwich and I replied that before I stopped eating meat, it was mine, too. When Kristen asked if the fries were okay with the lunch, Kathy began to ask what other sides were available. I stopped her midstream and told her, "No, get the fries. You know I don't eat fried foods, but their fries are homemade hand-cut shoestring fries, and they are outstanding." She agreed and got the fries.

The thinly sliced prime rib is tender, juicy, and full of beef flavor. The horseradish sauce is not your typical horseradish sauce, but a creamy, mild-flavored, dippable sauce, unlike what you would expect to get with a prime rib dinner. Kathy remarked that the au jus tasted so different than what she usually gets with French Dips. She said that Barrett's Grill au jus had real beef flavor and was a watery concoction like most other restaurants serve.

Unfortunately, Kathy forgot that I told her we were going to split a dessert, but I did not mention to her what it was. I just said that it will amaze her. She powered down her entire lunch and stated how stuffed she was. I, of course, remember the dessert and did not eat everything, saving room for dessert. When Kristen returned, I told her we were going to split the FRESH BERRY NAPOLEON (Seasonal berries tossed with turbinado sugar and layered with fresh cream and cookie crisps). Kristen began to describe it whereby I immediately halted her midspeech. I said, "Just go in the back and have it prepared and bring it to the table. Let it be a surprise!"

When Kristen returned, Kathy's eyes practically popped out of their sockets. She could not believe the sight before her eyes. She said that she never saw anything like it as a dessert anywhere. She knows that I do not eat off others' plates, nor do I want them eating off my dishes. She asked, "How are we going to eat this?" I told her to just eat it from her side, and I would eat it from my side, and I would stop when I thought we were getting too close to my comfort zone. giggles

What can I say other than another 5-star experience at what I consider the best dining in Maryland; Barrett's Grill in Hunt Valley. If you have not been here, you are missing an unforgettable...

We went to this restaurant on 8/11/21 at 11am right when they opened. If you are going here for their breakfast food, understand that they only offer it on the weekends. I was not aware of this, but we had already been sat and I did not want to cause an issue.

We were greeted pretty quickly by our waitress, we ordered our drinks and appetizer (bacon wrapped scallops). We told her we were not ready to order the entrees yet, so she said she’d be back in a few minutes. That few minutes was more like 20 minutes. Our appetizer was delivered by someone else before she came back to order our entree.

I did not like the bacon wrapped scallops, they must have cooked them in bacon grease because I could not even taste the scallops.

Our waitress came out and took our order finally, I ordered the prime rib sandwich, the shrimp flatbread, and the corn and crab soup, my fiancé ordered a house salad and a crab cake w/ a side of French fries.

By the time my soup came out, my coffee cup was empty. Our waitress helped deliver the food, but did not take notice of my empty cup. It was another ten minutes before I could flag her down to have her refill it. She did better with keeping my coffee full after this occurred.

The food I received was subpar, the meat in the French dip sandwich was of the quality of a cheese steak, the bread was not toasted and so soggy I had to take it off the bottom bread off (this was prior to dipping it in the au jus). I had to send my flatbread back because it was also super soggy that even the waitress said it looked gross. The soup I received mostly tasted like flour and was slightly spicy. It had no crab flavor to it.

My fiancé was given the cole slaw that came with the crab cake even though we said we wanted to replace it with the french fries, we were also charged extra for the french fries. The cole slaw ended up being wasted and I was charged for something we did not ask for. She did not have an issue with the salad, but the crab cake was a bit too small and a bit undercooked for her liking. It had absolutely no color to it.

We finished our food and had to wait an additional long period of time before our waitress noticed. It was so long, that I did not bring up the extra charge and did not request a box for my leftovers, I also just Hamden her my credit card rather than wait for her to bring the check.

Our experience at this restaurant was not great, I felt that the service we received and the food we were given was not adequate enough for the prices that they charge. We personally will not be going to this restaurant again because of this experience and I suggest that you look elsewhere if you are considering it.

To the company: Please ask your waitresses to pay more attention to their tables, they should make their presence known at least every five minutes even if it’s just walking by the table. If they can not remember an order correctly, they should be writing it down. I would also reconsider your prices for your food or come up with a better menu if you’re going to charge the prices that you are for the food that you’re serving. That soggy 6 inch cheesesteak was...

I recently moved to the area and I had an astonishingly wonderful dining experience at Barrett’s Grill. Our server Karly was a real gift, she was so sweet and funny and really took care of us making us feel cozy and comfortable. Karly was very attentive and had our drinks in the blink of an eye. The drinks were brought instantly and our food was served perfectly with love and grace.

The restaurant itself is so elegant and classy, we opted to dine inside although the patio looked very inviting. The food was absolutely amazing, with a contemporary American cuisine that offers something for everyone. The service was attentive and friendly, and the food was delicious and fresh. I started with the crab and roasted corn soup, which was creamy and flavorful, with chunks of crab meat and sweet corn, it was some of the best soup I have ever had. For my main course, I ordered the braised short ribs, which were tender and succulent, with a Mongolian bbq sauce that had a nice balance of sweet and savory. The onion straws added a crunchy texture, and the featured vegetable was perfectly cooked. My friend had the blackened fish tacos, which were spicy and satisfying, with a refreshing mango salsa and a sriracha sour cream. We shared the fresh berries napoleon for dessert, which was a light and refreshing treat, with layers of turbinado sugar cookie crisps, whipped cream, and fresh strawberries and blueberries.

The restaurant also has a great selection of drinks, including wine, beer, cocktails, and non-alcoholic beverages. We enjoyed the jazzy music that played in the background, creating a really chill and relaxing atmosphere. The prices were pretty reasonable for the exceptional quality and quantity of food we received.

I HIGHLY recommend Barrett’s Grill, and especially Karly’s incredible service to anyone looking for a memorable dining experience in Hunt Valley. It is definitely one of my favorite restaurants in the area, and I can’t wait to go back and try more dishes from their menu. Barrett’s Grill is a true gem and Karly was absolutely wonderful. We will...